The Teething Monster

Zoe popped out 4 new molars within two weeks time when she was 13 months old. We breezed through that, as we had the first 8 teeth. I didn't even know she was teething until I felt that the first molar had already come through and two more were on their way. Not so much as a whimper that month. But now...5 full months later, she's teething again. And wow...the teething monster has definitely made a visit (and decided to stick around for a while). I can't feel a single thing. But she has been chomping on anything that gets close to her...toys, spoons, her sippy, her blankie, and even my finger. Something is always inside her mouth, and she's drooling like she's forgotten suddenly how to swallow. But that's not the bad part. That's the norm. The last 5 days have been really rough on her. She's been fussy and waking up at night as many as 5-7 times...some as early as an hour after she was put down. We've been living off of motrin and teething tablets for pain, especially at night. She comes to me randomly during the day with a pathetic little whimper and points to her mouth saying "mof" (her word for mouth). When I ask her what hurts, she always points to the same side, same two teeth...the pointers. I can't feel anything. Her gums feel swollen, but I see no white, and feel no evidence of one about to pop through. I don't get it. I guess they're moving towards the surface. Bless her heart. I've had to have extra high patience the last few days b/c of her whininess and fussiness.

Last night was the worst. I gave her motrin at 8 when we put her down. She woke up at 9 shreaking. I went in and gave her two teething tablets and immediately put her back down...didn't even pick her up in the process. She's learned that when we give them to her, they provide her relief, so she settles down almost instantly. She slept peacefully until 3...7 hours after we gave motrin to her. I of course was jolted out of a deep sleep and b/c of the type of cry, ran to her room. Of course by the time I went to my bathroom to pour another tsp of motrin and made it to her door, she had stopped. So back to bed I go. 3:45: Waaaiiiillll. Out of bed again. Again, almost as soon as it started, it stopped, even before I made it to her door. Back to bed....yet again. 4:30: Waaaiiilll. I finally made it to her room in time this time. Took the previously poured motrin and had her sit up in bed to drink it. When she was finished, she just sort of fell back onto her side and went back to sleep. So back to bed I go...again. 5:30: Waaailllll. I stayed in bed this time knowing she'd be back out in 15 seconds or less which proved to be true. Same story at least 2 more times at which I FINALLY fell back asleep. Normally if and when she wakes up, she is still sleeping or so it seems. The cry is muffled and doesn't last long at all, so we never go in unless it's a high pitched shreak or unless it's a cry that tells us she's had a night terror and is afraid. I'm exhausted!

No wonder the tooth fairy leaves you money when your teeth fall out. It's a bribe for all the pain you went through to get that tooth in the first place and that you're about to go through again to get your permanent tooth.